Book Review - The Lady with the Dark Hair by Erin Bartels

 

I've read several books by Erin Bartels, but she has raised the bar with The Lady with the Dark Hair.  I really enjoyed this book.  It goes between a modern-day woman in her 40s who feels trapped caring for her schizophrenic mother and a young woman in the 1880s with a mysterious past.  Tying the two stories together is the painting of the lady with the dark hair.  I loved both stories, and it is often the case that one is more compelling than the other, but in this case, both threads were weighted equally. The stories were very different, but both resonated with me.  It is a balancing act to have two disparate stories in two time periods, but Bartels pulls it off well in this novel.  The writing is engaging.  People who know a bit about art will recognize some famous artists with cameos in the story.  

I highly recommend this beautifully written book.  I didn't want to put it down!

I received a copy of the book from the publisher, but all opinions are my own.